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I'm Angela Davis, a PNW native, mom of lots of kids, and I love saving money. I'm here to help you live well on a budget by making every penny count. You'll find deals at your local stores, ways to save online, recipes, and frugal living tips and inspiration.

Walgreens: Huge Gas-X Moneymaker

Shared on January 24, 2011This post may contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. See the disclosure policy for more information.

UPDATE: Apparently the coupon is only for Gas-X prevention which doesn’t seem to be the pictured product. Thanks for being more detail oriented than me Marissa! I though it was funny I seemed to be the only person excited about this.

Check out what I found at Walgreens today. Too bad I didn’t have enough coupons to pull it off. Keep in mind that sometimes the sale price is not marked. Just bring it up front and ask to confirm the price. Usually the sale price rings up.

I am one of those that cannot get to the store first because of children. And when I finally get to the store, the shelves are wiped out. It’s very frustrating. Last week I made 4 trips to Rite Aid and did not even get a pack of free tp that everyone was talking about. I don’t think I’ll ever purchase anything that I will not use simply because it makes me money. The next person might need it and not find any, and it’ll be specially frustrating for her when the she just packed her 4 kids into the van for this shopping trip.

I agree, that is very tough. My girls are older now, so it’s easy for me to pick up and go to the stores on Sunday morning at about 6am; if I’m totally prepared I’m back by the time everyone wakes up to get ready for church. That makes Saturday evening a prep time must! I only get what my family needs unless I see A LOT of things on the shelf, then I don’t feel so bad. But, if I sleep in on accident, I’m lucky to get anything!

Well,
Recently Rite Aid had a deal For $3 Motrin PM and $2 back in up rewards. I printed off a BUNCH of $6 off 2 Motrin, And got like 20 boxes of Motrin at ZERO cost, and made like $40 in Up. Wasteful? Maybe.

Now obviously I don’t need that much Motrin. Im going to Donate it. Thanks for your input everyone where they donate.
But anyway, the next week, I got SUPER sick with a cold, still recovering. And Im pregnant! Now there isn’t much I could take to alleviate the suffering. But what I could take, I didn’t have. So I found coupons, and bought a bunch of stuff from Rite aid, including Vit. C, a humidifier, cough drops, and other things to help me get better. Using coupons of course. Now, if I didn’t make all that money from the Motrin, this would be a HUGEE expense for us. But, luckily I made some extra money, and could use it on things I REALLY needed.

Waste not, want not. But sometimes, Its really worth following these deals.

This is really an awesome discussion to have. It can get absolutely insane and glutenous to go after some of these deals that we obviously don’t need 7 or 8 of. Every once in a while, however, I succumb and do one of these deals anyway. It is nice to be able to gift things to friends and family who are absolutely stoked that they get something for free.

As a side note, I love our community of readers for having this discussion without getting crazy. This is really thought provoking and helps keep our inner hoarder in check.

I’m really glad that quite a number of people posted in response – thank you for making this a nice discussion. I think it’s a good discussion to continually have, because it’s easy to get caught up in the whole “it’s free!” excitement.

I really like the comment that Andrea made about depriving someone of a product when we purchase a lot of an item and essentialy clear the shelf. I actually was thinking of that idea yesterday, with the Walgreens sale on Chex. I could have purchased a bunch, but I don’t need ’em or eat ’em, so I would have been purchasing them just to donate. Which is a nice idea, but I’d rather allow someone else who has the coupons, and would actually eat them to buy the product.

I agree with you Amy. Being able to give to those who do need items is what makes couponing so fun for me! But I too do not get 5 copies of the paper. I have however bought 5 Sinex or Nyquil and have enjoyed blessing others that don’t feel well but now have free over the counter nigh time medicine. That is a personal choice of course because we all have limits on the choices we make on our time and resources. I appreciate it when Frugal Living NW posts these deals because it saves me from having to look through ads etc. I don’t always take advantage of them but still, so fun to know about 🙂

2010 was my first year of couponing and I am hooked! Yes, I have bought things that I didn’t need, to either keep my Rewards rolling, or just to get the good deal. And while many people state the first rule of couponing is only buy the things you need – well, I have found that buying those extra products that I didn’t need, more times than not actually benefit others.
Christmas was SO much fun this year! Besides having such a fun family – I was able to pull together 9 gift baskets full of things they all need (2 of which went to our church adopt-a family). And anything I had left over – I set those items on a table and let the family pick things they needed – some traded, some picked items up they knew a friend would use – and anything left after that – I took to our church supply. NOTHING went to waste. Now I probably won’t go out and buy the 5 or 6 bottles of the items we are talking about – mainly because I don’t have access to that many of the same coupon – but I think if someone can benefit from buying these items – go do it! But buying them and not having a plan as to how you will use them – I do see waste in that. But it sure is fun to have friends and family come over and when they leave, they get to go search my stockpile for things they need! We all love it!

Leanna–I felt the same way, especially because I just read the post on recycling before this. I have to admit I have bought things I knew I would never use. Sometimes I was able to donate them, and sometimes I ended up throwing them away. It felt horrible. Also, I didn’t like them taking up spaces in my pantry. So I wouldn’t do those money maker deals any more if I know beforehand I wouldn’t use/ be able to donate the product(s).

I am in toal agreement with Leanna. By buying a large amount of merchandise so that you can make money, you are actually depriving someone that may have a coupon and see that the shelf is completely empty. Granted, there is the glorified statement of donation but lets be honest, you buy it for the money.

Probably just and accidental mistake on the product. The Gas X Prevention is $4.86, so it would still be a great money maker

@Leanna- I can see your point, but the shelf life for Gas X is forever and I haven’t seen a deal like this in for a long time, if ever. The profit is just an extra bonus if you ask me. Right now I wish we were talking about a different product so I wouldn’t have to spill the beans on how much this is a need in our home (dear God please don’t let the husband read this). On top of that it is a product that can be donated if you didn’t feel the need to store 8 of them. Each family is different so you have to just go off that. They are just sharing the fabulous deals and you only purchase the ones that work for your family 😉

I can totally understand the appeal of buying things and actually MAKING money off from shopping. However, from a practical standpoint, what in the world does one do with 8 boxes of Gas X? (And, if you really need 8 boxes of Gas X, then, please, by all means, buy them!)

Realistically, I can’t imagine that most people would need that much of almost any type of medicine. So, since this site is called Frugal Living NW, at what point do we go from being smart in purchasing to becoming hoarders and wasteful?

And I don’t pose this question to throw stones. It’s one I have to ask myself, as well. I find it tempting to do free and money-making deals, but then I have to ask myself if I really have any use for the product. And if I don’t have a use for it, what am I going to do with it? I don’t want to waste it, so then I am tasked with finding it a suitable home.

Tualatin School House Pantry (a food bank) will take any grocery store items. obviously food but also OTC meds, dog and cat food, laundry and househoold. Some items can even be opened (not food). So if you try and item like diapers, dog food or detergent and don’t like it they will take the open box and can still give it to needy families.
I just stoped by to get their info today! so your question was in perfect time 🙂

Before I started couponing I was never able to donate anything, but now I make a point to go once a month to my local shelter and donate as much as I can. Not only am I making money off freebies, but it makes me feel good in the process – it doesn’t feel like a task at all – it’s a side benefit of couponing. Here’s where I donate (I’d love to hear where other people donate):

For medicines-in Hillsboro there is a free/reduced clinic called the Virginia Garcia clinic (right across from the hospital)-I believe Cornelius has one too-I have taken things there before. I once had a prescription med I didn’t need anymore-had several unopened & the pharmacy can’t take it back, even unopened- but they could use it.
I also heard that animal shelters can take dog/cat food-some homeless people have pets & certainly need food for them.
Keep your eyes/ears open-I am frequently hearing about people that are having a hard time & it really helps to pass on my free/nearly free items.
The bottom line is-definitely don’t keep items you won’t be able to use! Now a days there is no lack of places that are desperately in need of food/supplies.

I have never donated to organizations directly. I’ve always just brought a box of something to families in need, or given to boy scouts and school drives. Do organizations give you tax receipt? That’ll mean making money TWICE for the free stuff.